Gibsonton Elementary is breaking barriers to education

August 10, 2024

Lack of healthcare is not often discussed as a barrier to education, but for many students across the country, poor health can keep them home, making it easier for students to fall behind their peers. In Gibsonton, Florida, one school has taken steps to promote student health, wellness and education to keep their students learning.

Gibsonton Elementary is busting barriers by keeping their students healthy. The school, where more than 95% of its students come from low socio-economic households, recently purchased much-needed preventative and diagnostic medical supplies with the goal of improving attendance.

“Some of our families are unable to access local health care because they don't have transportation, and the nearest walk-in clinic is over 9 miles away,” said Catherine Gilmore, Community School Coordinator at Gibsonton. “In other situations, our families cannot afford the costly medical trips.”

One of their new items, a magnifying lamp, has helped the school nurse ensure lice detection happens early, which stops cases from reaching the point where the scalp is impacted by skin breaks and infection. Early detection leads to earlier treatment, which significantly reduces the time a student with lice would otherwise be kept home. Other items purchased have identified students who need glasses and identified a medical issue that needed immediate intervention.

A $2,500 grant from the Horace Mann Educators Foundation made the Breaking Barriers to Education program possible. Horace Mann agent Todd Hogan nominated the school for the Horace Mann Educators Foundation’s EmpowerED grant program which awarded $2,500 grants to 10 nonprofit, education-related organizations countrywide.

“This grant has made Nurse Sherri’s job easier, helped students find comfort, and allowed parents to know their child is receiving simple, basic care that otherwise would require them to leave work to address, or information that allows them to make informed decisions about next steps,” added Gilmore. “We also know our students are one step closer to being healthier and for some students has decreased the amount of time out of the classroom.”